Devotion
by Shannon C. Redfield
Summary: Kevin x David. David becomes ill to an unknown virus, Kevin questions himself of being a faithful partner. Story is for a friend. Mystery intended, no answer. COMPLETE
1. Kevin

For Cannibal Jello

Good luck come the 30th

This is for you

**Disclaimer: **I do not own RE: Outbreak or anything affiliated. I do however, own this story.

* * *

It came without warning.

There wasn't even a hint of it until it was there—whatever it was, it slowly started to eat him alive. Sooner or later it would become unstoppable.

It didn't matter.

Soon Kevin found himself taking David to the hospital for an unexpected, short-notice surgery. Kevin had woken up deep in the night to sounds of someone in pain. It wasn't until his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the bedroom that he found him—David was in the bathroom, sitting next to the toilet puking up the contents of his stomach. After a short debate on what it was that was bothering his better half, Kevin only knew one thing.

They had to go to the hospital. _Now._

A quick phone call to an old friend, and George was soon on his way. If there was any doctor who would perform a late-night surgery and get the job done correctly, it was Dr. George Hamilton. Nobody else had skillful and calm fingers.

He arrived not a moment too soon and immediately had David prepped for surgery. The anxiety of the situation kept Kevin alert and well focused. _He needs me. Don't fuck this up, Ryman. David needs you…_

David was soon rolled into the white hall on a gurney. The sight of seeing his better half clad in loose-fitting garments with an I.V. line hooked into his left hand nearly made Kevin throw a fit. The anxious officer followed George as he helped push the gurney down the hall towards an awaiting elevator. All the while Kevin held onto David's cold hand, noticing how pale and tired his companion was becoming.

It wasn't like him.

"Surgery should take a few hours," George was explaining. "If it hasn't advanced any further into his bloodstream, I should be able to stop it before it reaches his heart."

So it was serious.

"In the meantime, I want you to rest in the waiting room. There's a coffee machine down the hall and the cafeteria is one floor below us should you get hungry. Don't worry about it being closed; Cindy is here. She helps maintain the kitchen's cleanliness."

So she _was _seeing George.

They arrived on the appropriate level and pushed David down yet another hall. Kevin could see where they would be stopping; an area where only hospital staff could enter. It would be the end of the line for Kevin.

"Here we are," George slowed his pace and stopped the gurney right before the double-doors. "I'll set up his medical chart. Once I enter the appropriate data, I'll have to take him from here."

Kevin nodded. "Thanks, George."

"My pleasure." George left the two of them alone in the abandoned hallway.

Kevin leaned down to get a better look at David. His face was almost pale from the shock of the pain his illness was causing him. Kevin could only imagine what it felt like to have something this deadly eat you from the inside out—ironically, he could. George and Cindy knew, too.

He lightly caressed David's sweating skin, rubbing his thumb along his cheek lovingly. The plumber's long black hair was undone from its ponytail with the strands spread across the pillow. Even in pain, David was one striking person.

"Kev…"

Kevin leaned in closer, their noses almost touching. "Yes Dave, I'm here."

David's eyes fluttered open. His pupils were starting to dilate. "It hurts like a bitch…"

Kevin couldn't help but to smile. "I know, Dave. I know."

"How long…"

"George said about a few hours or so. With our luck he'll be able to stop it before it does any major damage to your heart."

"……"

"I'll be here when you wake up," Kevin said, trying hard to not the tears that were forming in his eyes to fall. He squeezed David's hand and placed a kiss upon his forehead. "I promise."

George came back into the room and nodded to Kevin that it was time. The good doctor monitored David's breathing then began to wheel him away—away out of Kevin's grasp.

It was like a dream. As quickly as David was next to him, he suddenly was taken away. He watched as George opened the doors and pushed David through, across a threshold the officer wasn't allowed to tread. David stared back at his worried companion until the doors shut—leaving Kevin alone.

The tears then started to fall.

_I remembered something. _

_I remembered when my grandmother was having surgery. I was only eight years old when my father and grandfather went to Raccoon Hospital, together, to see how she was doing. Grandma wasn't doing too well. Father and son never really talked after my dad got married. Now seemed like a good time. _

_Grandpa mentioned something to dad about knowing that Grandma wouldn't be able to live her life much longer. He told his son that he could have just easily let her go, let her life go and not have to worry about her._

_Except he told his son no. He wouldn't—_couldn't_ do that to his wife. When he agreed to marry her, he made a vow that through sickness _and_ in health he would be there by her side _no matter what._ That's the strongest vow you could ever make. _

_Grandpa didn't give up on her. My father suddenly held an even deeper respect for his father._

…_I won't give up on David. _

_He is my partner—my better half. _

_I promised him I would wait for him, and dammit, I'll do it!_

Comforted by his own determination and renewed strength, Kevin sat through the whole four hours of surgery; not the least bit worried about David's weakened condition.

He would be there for him.

Kevin would still be here when he woke up.

_Devotion…_

One of the strongest loves any one can give.

To David and Kevin, it meant the world.


	2. David

It came without warning.

He had known about it all along—only he ignored it; dismissed it as nothing more then a mere stomach ache, perhaps even constipation.

Except constipation didn't spread to the upper body. Soon he had trouble breathing, and found himself sitting on the bathroom floor next to the toilet. Maybe if he was able to puke… The pain became so unbearable he wished he had his trusty knife. Just a simple cut or two would end it all. He would be free of the misery and torture that plagued his upper torso.

He puked and groaned aloud his frustration. The pain was too much for one to handle. Even though he was accustomed to withstand countless kinds of torture—emotional or physical—this was something different.

Kevin found him. His sounds of agony seemed to have woke his better half. Soon they were heading to the hospital, after a small debate of why David was awake in the middle of the night.

A quick call to George, and soon David's short-notice surgery was scheduled.

It was painful to stand, painful to walk, painful to breathe. His lungs felt as if they were filled with fluid; his bones felt they were made of jelly; and he had the worst migraine imaginable.

Agony.

What a bitch.

Several times David's legs nearly gave way as he attempted to dress in the attire appropriate for hospital patients. Many times over he felt as if he was being admitted into a psychiatric ward.

Finally he succeeded, thus being wheeled out into the hallway. Kevin was immediately by his side. A quick grasp of his hand and David was reassured. _Why is his hand so warm…_

David closed his eyes. _So tired…_ His senses drowned out everything as they entered the elevator. It wouldn't be long before he was torn from Kevin and crossed the threshold of hell. He wanted to get this over with.

The gurney started moving again and stopped a short while after that. He heard George talking, but couldn't make out the words. Then he heard Kevin's…and felt his lover's touch on his cheek.

"Kev…"

He heard Kevin shift. "Yes Dave, I'm here."

David's eyes fluttered open. His throat felt dry. "It hurts like a bitch…"

Kevin smiled. "I know, Dave. I know."

"How long…" It definitely hurt to talk.

"George said about a few hours or so. With our luck he'll be able to stop it before it does any major damage to your heart."

"……" Ever the dumbass to tell it to you straight.

"I'll be here when you wake up," Kevin said. David could see the tears that Kevin fought so hard to fight back. In the tiniest of ways, seeing Kevin like this always reminded David that the cop had feelings too. A soft kiss to forehead, and Dave felt better. Slightly. "I promise."

George then came back into the room, and David closed his eyes again. A word or two were exchanged between doctor and cop—a quick breath examination for the exhausted plumber—and soon the gurney was in motion again.

A single stray tear made its way down David's cheek as Kevin's hand slipped through his. He almost wished that Kevin was allowed to stay with him the entire surgery. But knowing how fussy Kevin can get over the tiniest things…

_Dammit David—your going in for surgery!_

Kevin did say that he was going to wait.

Wait…Kevin never waited for anything in his life. Not even for food.

_He's actually going to wait…_

David was filled with a new hope. Kevin was willing to stay up for another few hours—maybe more—just so he can make sure Dave made it out of this ordeal safely.

_Devoted. He's actually devoted…_

David entered the surgery ward with a new reason to live. Kevin, his partner; his lover; his best friend; his beer buddy…was actually going to _sit _let alone _wait _for the love of his life to come out from this blasted room sickness-free.

He loved the stubborn cop even more.

He would be there for him.

Kevin would still be here when he woke up.

_Devotion…_

One of the strongest loves any one can give.

To David and Kevin, it meant the world.


End file.
